At the start of my sophomore year, I found myself wanting a new, different class to switch things up. I had no idea what joining Model United Nations would bring me, and I never could’ve guessed how drastically it would change my life. Joining last year was a total impulse decision, but it’s still one of the best I’ve made throughout high school so far.

Before joining, I’d never been great at public speaking. I wasn’t awful by any means, but it was an anxiety-inducing experience and something I dreaded. Impromptu speaking prompts taught me to think quickly and react on the fly– a trait that’s helped me on more occasions than I can count. Speaking to larger groups during conferences, while nerve-wracking at first, has worked wonders for me. Learning to respond quickly to questions makes speaking in class, for example, an absolute breeze. The confidence I gained through learning to speak in public more effectively has been invaluable, and I’m incredibly thankful for that.

I’ve been able to make new friends and meet wonderful people through MUN, as spending three hours a week in class and up to four days at conferences gives plenty of time to get acquainted with people I wouldn’t have talked to otherwise. Working with my peers to solve problems and reach difficult resolutions has given me fantastic opportunities to get to know students from all over the state; I’m still in a group chat from the last conference I attended.

Both of the conferences I’ve attended have been four days long, and those four days served as both a taste of independence and time to learn budgeting and responsibility. As easy as it is to blow all of my money on coffee and snacks to keep me awake during committee, I had to save my money and spend it on meals that I actually needed. While it’s a short period of time, these skills have helped me get a glimpse of what life on my own will be like.

The class also helped me realize how important it is to stay up-to-date on current events. As it obviously centers around recreating the United Nations, knowing what’s happening around the world makes me more conscious of what other people deal with in every corner of the world.

Taking Model UN has made me a better person and taught me so much more than I ever could’ve anticipated. I’ve learned valuable life skills and had a great time while doing it, and I cannot wait to continue this wonderful class for the next two years.